'
Gerald only stared in wonder, as if he did not grasp.
'You don't mean to say that you seriously went and asked her father to
let you marry her?'
'Yes,' said Birkin, 'I did.'
'What, had you spoken to her before about it, then?'
'No, not a word. I suddenly thought I would go there and ask her--and
her father happened to come instead of her--so I asked him first.'
'If you could have her?' concluded Gerald.
'Ye-es, that.'
'And you didn't speak to her?'
'Yes. She came in afterwards. So it was put to her as well.'
'It was! And what did she say then? You're an engaged man?'
'No,--she only said she didn't want to be bullied into answering.'
'She what?'
'Said she didn't want to be bullied into answering.'
'"Said she didn't want to be bullied into answering!" Why, what did she
mean by that?'
Birkin raised his shoulders. 'Can't say,' he answered. 'Didn't want to
be bothered just then, I suppose.'
'But is this really so? And what did you do then?'
'I walked out of the house and came here.
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